Staff writer
Elvis impersonator Marc Baker gave a high-spirited performance featuring songs from “the King of Rock and Roll” for a small but enthusiastic crowd at 7 p.m. Friday at Marion Senior Center.
Baker’s interest in Elvis sparked while he was in high school. In the past, when he was younger, he normally dressed as “’50s Elvis”.
This year was the first year he dawned a white jumpsuit with rhinestones.
“I don’t think he can get into the black leather outfit anymore,” said senior center correspondent Janet Bryant. “But he loves us. This is the sixth year Marc has performed for us. It’s a fun thing to have happen.”
Bryant got into Elvis through people she knew at the Senior Center and began to accumulate his records. She even made sure to wear a pink poodle skirt for Friday’s concert.
Lifelong Elvis fan Irmagene Goodman also attended the event. She said she saw the real Elvis perform twice in Wichita.
“I saw in once when he was thin and once when he was older,” Goodman said. “I thought he was great. I used to have a bunch of records.”
Mayor Mary Olsen said she used to like to dance to Elvis songs.
“I did the jitterbug,” Olsen said. “I liked to shimmy and shake.”
Ruth Herbel said she grew up with Elvis’s music, too.
“I’m just a fan period,” Herbel said. “I love the music. I like to lie there, close my eyes, and think.”
Bonnie Schmidt said she had a long affection for Elvis, too.
“I liked the movies,” she said. “Bob and I went to Branson to see the Elvis impersonator contest.”
Each fan agreed that when watching an Elvis impersonator they always listen to the voice first,then pay attention to his appearance and movements.
However, two audience members were there for other reasons.
“We’re here because of our wives,” Schmidt’s husband, Bob, said.
He and friend Ron Herbel had a few laughs concerning Elvis.
“He would be eight days older than I am,” Herbel said. “It would be interesting to know what he would look like today. Everyone always thinks of him as this young man with a head full of hair. But would he have hair today?”